BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Talk about a dangerous December, the healthcare system is bursting at the seams with more than one-million new COVID cases natiowide in the first five days of the month alone.
This comes ahead of another expected surge following the Thanksgiving holiday, and crisis is getting worse right here in our own backyard.
The positivity rate in Erie County's orange zone is actually down slightly from Saturday at 7.5%.
The yellow zone is where the big problem is.
The positivity rate there is now up over nine percent, from 8.75% Saturday.
Western New York's overall positivity rate is still 7.4%, which remains the highest region in the state.
Hospitalizations remain a big concern.
Local health officials are monitoring the situation very closely.
This coming Thursday marks two weeks since Thanksgiving, and that's when we could see what kind of holiday spike there may be.
Sunday Governor Cuomo said, quote, "We're closely monitoring hospital capacity and have implemented triggers to ensure hospitals have what they need."
He says a possible vaccine is a light at the end of the tunnel, but adds we have to be disciplined until that process plays out.
